Thomas Voeckler has won stage four of Paris-Nice after four-man breakaway
denies chasing bunch, while Thomas de Gendt regained the overall lead of the
eight-day stage race.

Belleville rendezvous: Thomas Voeckler, the French national road race champion, celebrates his Paris-Nice stage win after a four-man breakaway denied the pelotonPhoto: REUTERS

By John MacLeary and agencies

5:17PM GMT 09 Mar 2011

Voeckler, the French national road race champion, won the 191-kiklometre fourth stage from Crêches-sur-Saône to Belleville after the Europcar rider jumped Thomas de Gendt in the final metres to claim his first stage in the race.

"I have competed in the Paris-Nice since 2003 and I had yet to win a stage, this really is a huge relief," said Voekler.

"Today, I told myself to try my luck far from the finish as the last climb was far from the line. I had good riders with me. It was close but it was good enough."

De Gendt, who lead the four-man breakaway towards the line 13 seconds ahead of the peloton, regained 'the race to the sun' leader's jersey that he wore for two days before it was wrested off him by Matt Gosson Tuesday.

"I had good legs, I wanted to ride in the front," said the Vacansoleil-DCM rider. " I didn't expect it to go so well. I was riding just for the yellow jersey. If I wanted to win the stage, I would have played it smarter."